''Endiandra floydii'' is a small-sized

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

tree. Despite its common name, Crystal Creek walnut, this tree is unrelated to northern-hemisphere walnuts, and is a laurel. It is named after the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

n botanist,

Alexander Floyd Alexander Geoffrey Floyd (1 April 1926 – 12 December 2022) was an Australian botanist with an expert knowledge of rainforest plants, particularly the rainforest trees of New South Wales. He has worked with the New South Wales Forestry Commis ...

Habitat

The Crystal Creek walnut is restricted to

paleozoic The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838 by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and ...

metamorphics but with overlying

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90 ...

soils in the Mount Warning area of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, and a couple of adjacent areas in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

. The Crystal Creek walnut grows in

and is also found as an understorey plant in brush box

ecotone An ecotone is a transition area between two biological communities, where two communities meet and integrate. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local (the zone between a field and forest) or regional (the transition between forest and gras ...

areas, on moderately steep slopes no higher than 430 metres above sea level. The Crystal Creek walnut is considered

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

, with a ROTAP rating of 2E.

Description

A small tree, often with coppice shoots at the base. New leaves pinkish brown. The bark is pale to dark grey. Leaves are elliptic to narrow-elliptic, 5–15 cm long, 2–5 cm wide. Small creamy green flowers form in autumn. The large fruit matures in summer, the size of an apple or a pear. Being red to purplish black when ripe. Germination is not particularly slow and quite reliable. Image:habitat of Endiandra globosa and E floydii - NSW Qld border.jpg, habitat of Endiandra floydii, NSW - Qld border Image:Crystal Creek Walnut - juvenile.JPG, juvenile Endiandra floydii Image:Crystal Creek Walnut - leaves.JPG, Endiandra floydii - leaves

References

* Floyd, A.G., ''Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia'', Inkata Press 1989, * Floyd, A.G., Australian Rainforests in New South Wales Volume 2 - 1990 *

External links

Photo of A.G.Floyd next to Endiandra floydii
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5376110 Trees of Australia Endangered biota of Queensland Endangered flora of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland floydii Laurales of Australia Taxa named by Bernard Hyland